SQUEEZED OUT OF JAPAN

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13239, 15 January 1941, Page 6

SQUEEZED OUT OF JAPAN

A Scotsman, who was “squeezed out” of Japan after more than 16

years’ residence, and an Anglican clergyman, who was forced to leaie as a result of the growing anti-for-eign feeling, have arrived in Sydney from Kobe.

“The Japanese people do not openly insult foreigners, but I could not help feeling that most of those with whom I had become friendly during mv 16 years in Japan were becoming less friendly, and that I was not wanted,” said the Scotsman, Mr G. K. Goldie who had been teaching English composition and business practice in a Japanese University.

“One day one of the most prominent newspapers printed a statement that all foreign teachers were spies. I felt that pressure was being brought on me from all sides to squeeze me out. A Japanese friend advised me to go and helped me to sell my house and furniture.” Friendly To Australia

“Foreigners are leaving Japan every day, and many of them who want to leave cannot get berths on ships.” Mr Goldie said that Americans were the Japanese people’s chief bugbear. Most of the Japanese were friendly towards Australia, because they saw that they would benefit from trade with us.

“The Japanese are spy mad. They follow foreigners, and I think they even spy op themselves. They are certainly suspicious of everyone. “A prominent business man in Kobe was kept in his hotel for two and a half days because a Japanese had discovered his daughter’s knitting book and thought it was a code book.”

The attitude of the people to the Germans and Italians was hard to define. Many of them were antagonistic towards the Axis, although they could not speak openly against it, M r Goldie said.